Carpe Diem
by IamWhoIam89
Summary: HC/OC. Horatio Caine and his team are joined by criminal psychologist Kirsty Lansen in finding a dangerous killer in Miami. Personal life and background is for the first few chapters, then we'll get down to the real action!
1. The Meeting

Seven years ago is when Lieutenant Horatio Caine met Kirsty Lansen. She's a criminal psychologist who was assisting him on a case; the IHearU Killer – as the press had called him. This specific case involved a serial killer who tortured and murdered couples whilst their child/children were in the next room. Horatio and Kirsty worked together talking and helping the youngsters throughout the terrible tragedy that left them orphans.

There had been sexual tension between them for sometime before they actually and officially dated. Horatio knew that he had to act upon his feelings when he nearly lost Kirsty. They hadn't caught the killer and because he was targeting families, it was unimaginable that he was to go after either one of them, let alone both.

It was a late Thursday night and Kirsty and Horatio were discussing the evidence; or lack of, at the Crime Lab. Horatio Caine was looking tired; he hadn't slept for over three days. The IHearU Killer had already destroyed two families, and Horatio didn't want it to happen to anymore children.

He offered to take Kirsty home and she took it upon him. They were driving out of the lab car park when Horatio got a phone call from a familiar number; Michael Downs, his personal nemesis – who was also a fellow member of the Miami Dade Police. The phone call was telling him to come to a house that had been suspected of holding the killer along with three children but no parents. Horatio hung up and told Kirsty – who was confused as to why there were no parents, that wasn't in the profile that she had created. He always killed the parents with the children in the next room and then he left. What was different this time?

A few minutes later, they arrived at the address Downs gave them. No other police car or unmarked car was in sight. Horatio had a funny feeling about this, something wasn't right, and so he told Kirsty to stay near the car. He handed her his back-up weapon and told her to shout if she needed him. She was scared. Didn't know how to load a gun up let alone aim and shoot.

Horatio entered the house, leaving Kirsty standing cautiously next to the car. She felt something, a weird feeling. Like someone was approaching or watching, at least. She looked around. Could see nothing but darkness. She turned back around, to face the house when she saw someone in front of her. Holding up her gun the shadow reassured her and told her to put the gun down. He was the one who called them – it was Downs identifying himself, showing Kirsty his badge.

Rick lead Kirsty into the house, said that Horatio wanted her to talk to the children. They wouldn't leave the premises out of fear. Kirsty walked down the path which lead to the house - ahead of Downs. She entered the front door and turned around, about to ask Rick where the children were when he hit her around her face with his gun – knocking her unconscious.

She awoke in a dark room. Unable to talk for the duck tape around her mouth. There was a small amount of light in the cold room. She could see the outlines of three small children – in the same situation she was in. She began to look closer at the children and recognised them as the surviving victims of the IHearU Killer.

She couldn't work it out. She had been so wrong about this case. About the un-sub. About Downs.

There was muffled screaming coming from the children. Gunshots were coming from above them. She could hear the sound of objects breaking. The two men shouting at each other. They must be in the basement; it was the only logical answer. Maybe a secret entrance – one which Horatio couldn't find.

Her heart began to race. Someone was about to come through the basement door, afraid that he would come back and hurt the children she tried called for Horatio. Trying her hardest to free herself to keep the children safe. But then she heard the sound of hope – police sirens. Still afraid that it was Downs coming through the door and that Horatio was above her wounded – or even dead, she began to cry.

That all changed. Her crying and worrying stopped when she saw the red-headed man coming through the doorway with policemen behind him. Horatio Caine untied Kirsty whilst the police men released the children and took them to safety.

"Can you take me home Horatio?"

"Anything for you…ma'am."

**Chapter One**

In seven years Horatio Caine became one of Miami Dade Police's greatest Criminal Investigators. Although Horatio was the most committed man when it came to his work – he wasn't as committed when it came to relationships. Or that's what Kirsty thought; and that being the reason they aren't together anymore – and haven't being together since last year.

However, just because Kirsty and Horatio aren't together anymore, well, that doesn't mean they don't love each other. He's still as over protective of her – maybe now even more as he's not constantly with her when she needs him. They have a son together, Jack, and Horatio tries to see his son ever day; often putting him to bed.

**The present day…**

It was an early spring morning in Miami; the sun was shining brightly as it always was. A cool wind breezed through the city on the crisp morning. Kirsty had dropped her three year old son off at the day centre, she liked him to interact with other children, socialize more.

A few blocks away from the Miami Dade Crime Lab in an old apartment building a man was sitting down on his bed, thinking of the next line to his so-called poem. He was writing it for the next woman he thought he could win over. The second woman he had his eyes on, as the first one rejected him and he killed her.

He bound her hands together, tortured her and then killed her. She was called Claire, a twenty-seven year old successful newspaper editor. From what Horatio's team found, she was tortured for up to 8 hours before being killed in such a way that it took the coroner a good few hours to figure out what the cause of death was; a single stab wound to the heart. Covered up my multiple post and pre mortem stab wounds to the entire body.

He left the first verse besides the first victim's body;

"_I've been waiting all my life for someone as good as you_

_I look into your heart and know you're too good to be true_

_I look into my past, at everything that's gone wrong_

_And because you are here things are finally moving along_

_All for you. Carpe Diem"_

Neatly typed up on a computer in which its ink and paper was traced back to a local internet café. All computers were checked and hacked but nothing was uncovered which could give them a lead to their suspect.

The next verse of the poem was complete;

"_People always tell me my feelings will go_

_But they don't know what I know_

_They don't fell what I feel_

_It's like a scar that won't heal_

_All for you. Carpe Diem"_

Horatio and his team did not realise that they had identified the first victim of what was the beginning of a serial killer.

******* * * * ***

Kirsty had already been to the 'office' and collected the brief for her biggest case after having her son four years ago. This case was the first case in which she would work with Horatio since the IHearU Killer where she completely misjudged the unsub in the investigation. This knocked her confidence; she kept saying to herself that if she profiled it correctly then no more families would have broken up.

She told her self that it would be the last time that she got the profile wrong. And since that day, she hasn't. This would be the biggest case she had worked on since the IHearU Killer all those years ago.

"Hello?" She asked, answering her ringing phone.

"It's Mark again. We have another murder. A female, single, lives alone, professional career etc." He paused. "The crime scene is only a few blocks away from your place."

"I'm on my way." She responded, hanging up the phone.

Kirsty arrived at the second murder location to find Calleigh and Eric processing the scene. Upon her arrival she saw a group of people outside the perimeter of the building - any of which could be a suspect. She subtly took pictures of the crowd with her phone.

"Hey Kirsty." She heard Calleigh say. "I didn't know you were working this case."

"Yeah, so they were both found in their own home?" Calleigh nodded. "Any signs of a struggle?"

"No." She paused, packing away her equipment. "We believe he drugged the women but there were no signs of any foreign toxins in their bloodstream."

"Alcohol?"

"Not that either." She said. "Listen, I've got to get back to the lab, Eric's in the house if you need any more answers."

"Hi." Kirsty murmured to Eric as she walked into the house. "How are you?"

"Good. And you?" He paused. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…"

"You haven't told him have you?"

"Eric, can we focus on the case please?"

"Sure."

Kirsty walked around the victim's house. She couldn't see any signs of a struggle. None of the rooms in the house looked like they'd had visitors, nothing out of place. The victim looked dis-similar to the previous victim – not as many wounds to her body. But still, she was brunette, twenty –nine, renowned author of romance novels, single and her hands were bound behind her back.

She came back to Eric who was just finishing processing the scene. She looked at the door; it was not forced open so the victim knew her killer.

"Eric, have you seen this door?"

"It's not been tampered with." He paused. "She knew who it was."

"Was the door closed when the first on scene arrived?"

"Yeah."

"So, the unsub got from the front of the house all the way into the kitchen. She knew him." Kirsty paused. "I think she knew him well…"

"I'll check the reports from the first victim. Look for similarities."


	2. Mystery

Kirsty was sat in a room in the crime lab putting together a profile of what she had so far. The unsub would have committed these murders in his comfort zone as he's just started the murders. The unsub will know these areas well and how to get away if he was surprised.

"Hi"

Kirsty looked up at the male voice she heard coming into the room. She saw Ryan Wolf pulling out a chair and sitting near her on the table.

"I'm trying to work." She said. "Something which you should be doing."

"I've done what I need to do." He paused, reaching to touch her hand. "We need to talk." He leant over and whispered in her ear.

"Ryan!" She shouted, standing up. "Just go!" She realized how loud she shouted and sat back down. "Just leave me alone, please." She gritted through her teeth. "Please."

"Mr. Wolfe." They both looked up to see Horatio standing in the doorway. "Could you give us a minute please?"

"Sure, H."

Kirsty looked at neither both men while Ryan left. She couldn't tell Horatio but couldn't not tell him. She didn't know how to. Horatio took Ryan's seat beside Kirsty.

"What was all that about?" He asked.

"Nothing." She paused, continuing to write. "I just needed to work…"

"Kirsty..."

"I have a profile for you."

"Go ahead."

"The suspect is most likely in his mid-late thirties. He has a low skilled job – probably manual labour, he's strong and quite smart but tends not to show his intelligence. He lives alone, but his home is immaculately clean, so is his car or truck. He knows or is related to someone who works in medicine in order to get drugs to overpower the women." She pauses looking at him for the first time since he came into the room. "The unsub is killing these women...because…" Kirsty sighs. "Because she rejects him."

"Kirsty?" Horatio questions.

"It's okay. He's going after these certain women with successful careers.. He's basing his victims on someone he knows, someone he wants. Horatio, he's working his way up to her."

"I'll tell the team."

"Okay." She says gathering her things as she stands up. "I'm going to go over the pictures I took of the crowd. See if I can spot any potential suspects."

She couldn't let Horatio know that someone under his supervision, a man he personally picked to be a member of the team had acted deviantly. That a member of his team would let something like that happen.

As she was flicking through the pictures, a certain individual caught her attention. He was in a few pictures, as though he was moving throughout the crowd trying to get a better look at what was going on. Kirsty flicked onto the next picture and he was looking at the camera. The next picture and he was doing the same.

"Hey." Eric said as he walked into the room.

"Hi." Kirsty replied, pointing to the screen. "You see this guy; he's been in most of the pictures I took of the crowd. In a couple he's even looking directly at the camera – and I was subtle."

"Have you looked him up?"

"I don't know how." Eric just smiled at her.

"Let me…" He said leaning over onto the computer screen, cropping the image of his face and running it through the databases. A match came up. "Kyle Eagles. No previous convictions."

"Why is he in there then?"

"He'd been questioned a few months ago. A suspect in a rape case; he was released without charge, no one was caught," Eric paused. "Let's go have a word."

"On what grounds?" Kirsty asked.

"He was there. He may have _witnessed_ something."

"Lead the way."


	3. What happened

The visit with the suspect came up empty. Eagles had an alibi which they would have to check out later that afternoon. Eric desperately wanted to have a conversation with Kirsty about what actually happened to cause her to become distant from Ryan and Horatio.

Eric was the only one who Kirsty would confide in; he knew the basics of what happened but not the full story. Which is why Eric decided to take Kirsty to lunch, to discuss this situation.

They entered a small café a few blocks away from the crime lab, it wasn't a café they used regularly – one that was visited on occasion. The food was good and the service was impeccable, not and expensive place but it looked somewhat classy.

"What can we get you?" A short skinny woman with blonde hair asked the couple of crime investigators.

"I'll have a Chicken Caesar Salad and a water please." Kirsty smiled at the waitress.

"Can I have, erm…you still cook breakfasts?" The woman nodded. "A full English breakfast then please with a coffee."

"English Breakfast eh?" Kirsty smiled.

"You always go on about them so I thought Id give it a try."

"Well, you've got to try. My dad used to make them for us back home."

"Do you miss it? England?"

"Not really. There was nothing in England for me. I always said I was born in the wrong country."

"So you found your place, in Miami?"

"You guys are my family. I had Horatio and now I have Jack,"

"You and Horatio will always be doing the same old dance Kirst. He loves you and you love him."

"Yeah that's not the problem, I love him. I do. So much." She pauses. "I mean even when we were together; Jack and I hardly saw him. Don't get me wrong I know how passionate he is about the lab and bringing justice to the victims' families. But what about our family? He gradually faded away from us both physically and emotionally and I couldn't handle it."

"You're now that distant that you couldn't tell him about the incident?"

"Eric. Please."

"He needs to know. You only told me what generally happened. H should know the kind of person on his team."

"He'll kill him. And Ryan."

"He'll probably transfer Ryan." Eric replied. "And he deserves it. Hell I'd kill him."

"Eric…"

"Tell me what happened Kirst."

"It happened when Horatio had Jack for the weekend, last month. I went out with my neighbor, Emma, she knew Horatio had Jack and she wanted to take me out, let my hair down." She pauses looking down at her food the waitress placed on the table in front of her. "We went to a local nightclub where I recognized Ryan, and Emma wanted me to introduce them so I did, and Ryan had a friend with him."

"She hooked up with Ryan and you - "

"No. I didn't. I wasn't interested in him; I still had…have…feelings for Horatio. I couldn't do that to Horatio or myself. I wasn't ready. So I told him that I was in a complicated relationship and he seemed to accept that." She stopped talking, taking a sip of her drink. "We'd all had a little bit too much to drink and the club was closing so Emma invited us all back to her place – thinking it was a good idea at the time, I agreed."

"Go on."

"I mean, I'm a crime scene investigator, a criminal psychologist. A profiler. I should have seen it coming. But I'd had too much to drink, my judgment was clouded. Emma and Ryan were flirting and dancing around the room, I was sat on the sofa and this guy started pushing himself on me. I couldn't get him off. He was strong Eric. Unbelievably strong. Ryan looked over and I motioned for him to get him off me but he just ignored me. I was scared. I'd never felt scared like that. Ryan started to lead Emma upstairs. I asked Ryan to get his friend off me and he just ignored me. Emma tried telling Ryan but he wouldn't have it, he said he was just messing – he wouldn't hurt me."

"I'll kill him." Eric murmured. Kirsty heard him but carried on.

"He pinned my arms above my head and laid fully on me. I tried to shout for Emma. He was strong Eric; I couldn't get out of his grasp. One of his hands went down to my jeans, he started unzipping my pants. I started thinking to myself 'how is this happening to me'. He had his hands down my jeans, my underwear. I felt disgusted. Violated. Sick. I got my hands free and punched him straight in the face. He was shocked; he sat up so I kneed him in the groin."

"Why didn't you call someone?"

"I was in shock. I ran straight home and got a shower. I sat in the shower for over an hour." She thought back to that night and shivered. "I know. I wasn't raped bu-"

"But nothing. What he did was against the law. You didn't consent. You did NOTHING wrong."

"The next morning I heard a car horn outside. There was a taxi, Ryan was getting in it. He looked rough. Emma was stood at the door waving Ryan goodbye – she looked happy. I was so confused. Did she realize where I was?"

"Have you spoken to her since?"

"I told her what happened. She felt sick. She's ignored Ryan ever since. And she still wonders why I'm her friend, always asks why I forgave her."

"It wasn't her fault." Eric stated and Kirsty shook her head. "You have to tell him."

"I know. I know. But how?"

"I don't know Kirst. I could look after Jack for you. I haven't spent enough time with my God-Son lately." He smiled.

"Tonight?" She questioned.

"Tonight." Eric stated.

*** * * * ***

Kirsty walked down the corridor of the Crime Lab, heading for Horatio's office. She knew he'd been in his office signing paper work at this time of the day. The rest of the day shift team had headed home, Eric had gone to pick up Jack and take him to his place for the night.

"Horatio?" Kirsty barely spoke the word that came out of her mouth.

"Yes." He looked up to see Kirsty stood in the doorway. "Come in; don't stand in the threshold sweetheart."

"I need to talk to you." She looked down at her feet and straight back into his eyes. "About something that happened that weekend you were looking after Jack."


	4. Back to the case

"_Horatio?" Kirsty barely spoke the word that came out of her mouth. _

"_Yes." He looked up to see Kirsty stood in the doorway. "Come in; don't stand in the threshold sweetheart."_

_  
"I need to talk to you." She looked down at her feet and straight back into his eyes. "About something that happened that weekend you were looking after Jack." _

"You went out with Emma?"

"I did."

Kirsty began to tell Horatio the sequence of events, almost exactly how she told Eric. She left out the part about how scared she actually felt. She just told him about how Ryan ignored her cries for help. How she felt Ryan was betraying the trust she previously had in him.

"What was his name?" Horatio flatly asked.

"I don't know his surname. Just that Ryan called him Shobbo. He didn't tell me his name either." She paused. "I wasn't interested. He knew that." A single tear fell from her eye and left a stain down her cheek.

"Where's Jack, Kirsty?"

"Eric's looking after him. He said he'd take him for the night."

"Good. Because we are going to visit Ryan Wolfe."

Horatio stood up from behind his desk and lead the way down the empty halls of the Crime Lab building and into the car park.

"How do you know where he is?" Kirsty asked quietly.

"I don't. But I'm going to hunt him down and I want you to be there. To prevent me from doing something-"

"Doing something you might regret?" He smiled at her. She always knew what he was thinking and vice-versa.

"I don't know if I can do this, Horatio." Kirsty all but whispered after a moment of silence.

"It's going to be ok sweetheart. I promise."

Horatio pulled his SUV outside Ryan Wolfe's residence; a couple of the lights in the house were on upstairs. Kirsty exited the car slowly, cautiously looking between the house and Horatio, who was coming around the vehicle. Together, they walked up the pathway; Horatio's hand placed on the bottom of Kirsty's back, silently reassuring her it would be all right.

The knock on Ryan's door was strong and loud. The bottom light came on and Ryan unlocked the front door to find Horatio and Kirsty stood in front of him.

"H? Everything okay?"

"We need to talk Mr. Wolfe."

"Come in, H, Kirsty." Ryan invited them inside, opening the door wider for them to enter. The pair of them stood in the hall way, Kirsty couldn't look at Ryan whereas Horatio just stared into his eyes.

"I want his name." Horatio paused; looking into Ryan Wolfe's confused eyes. "Shobbo's name, Ryan."

"Listen, H. I didn't know-" Ryan was cut off by Horatio hitting him.

"Are you okay Ryan? That looked like it hurt?" Horatio questioned. "His name. Now."

Ryan stumbled as he got up. Kirsty had backed away, looking shocked. "Rick O'Grady."

"I want you to give O'Grady a message. You tell him if he doesn't talk to me he's a dead man. Inform him that if I have to look for him I will make it my mission to find him and when I find him, he'll be leaving in a bag."

And with that, Horatio opened the front door and Kirsty walked down the pathway towards the SUV. She got into the car, closed her eyes and began to sob.

Horatio placed a hand on her leg, rubbing her. Soothing her. "I'm sorry, H. It's all right. I'm okay." She stopped crying.

"Yes. Yes you are." "Let's go pick up Jack and go home."

"What are you going to do?

"That man hurt an innocent person. Someone I love. He's evil. He enjoys pain. I hope he enjoys his own."

Horatio is an incredibly persistent, dogged, and at times a ruthless crime fighter who has suffered a great many personal losses before and this was one person he was determined not to loose. Remaining extremely protective of those he loves, Kirsty knew that he meant what he said and kept quiet.

*** * * * ***

"_You are the one that I've been searching for_

_Now I'm close to you, I don't want anything more_

_The one I have been searching for_

_Now I'm going to have you, I don't need anything more_

_All For You, Carpe Diem" _

Kirsty read the third part of the 'song' which the unsub was writing for the woman he so-called loves. They were getting closer to finding the killer, but for every piece of evidence they needed, a women would die. The unsub was getting 'sloppy'; he approached this victim unexpectedly, in her own home.

There was broken glass on the floor, furniture over-turned. The up-town, suburban home was now a wreck…they needed to find him…_she_ needed to find him.


	5. Jack

Kirsty was on her way to pick Jack up from preschool. He only attends for half a day – she likes him to interact and play with other children as he has no siblings and the children on her street are much older. As she pulled into the car park she saw half a dozen police cars and as many ambulances. She swiftly parked the car and ran towards a police man.

"What's happened?" She exclaimed.

"Calm down ma'am."

"Calm down? My four year old son is in there!" She took a breath as she calmed. "What's happened?"

"There's being a report of three men with weapons in the centre." The officer replied.

"What? Wha – what do you mean? Why aren't you in there?"

"We can't risk the lives of the children – you have to understand. Is there anyone we can contact?"

"M-my sons' father. Horatio Caine." She fell to the floor. Scared for the safety of her child. The one thing she had left.

"Lieutenant Horatio Caine?" The officer asked and Kirsty just nodded. "Right away ma'am."

She began to sob uncontrollably. She didn't want to admit the fact that even Horatio couldn't fix this. The police officer helped her off of the floor and guided her to a place where she could be seated out of the way of danger. Kirsty sat down and was still in shock.

"Lieutenant Caine is on his way." The man paused. "Would you like me to stay while he arrives?"

"No." She looked up. "I just want my son."

"We're doing that ma'am. Trust us."

Kirsty just sat there, on the wall, thinking about what she should do. Cold tears began to fall down her cheeks, hearing footsteps come towards her she quickly wiped them away. Keeping her head down, she felt someone sit beside her. She knew who it was. He placed one of his hands around her waist as she looked up at him. Taking his glasses off and looking into her eyes, she began to cry. Her head fell into his shoulder as she began to cry.

"What am I going to do if…"

"I'm going to bring our son home safely Kirsty. I promise you."

Horatio stands up, leaving Kirsty for just a second when a single gunshot rings out from inside the school. She stood up and her mother's instincts kicked in, Kirsty tried running towards the school to rescue her son but Horatio caught her. They were quite close to the school so he held her head down, protecting her from any stray bullets aimed at the police.

"GO! GO! GO!" The police chief shouted. Over a dozen police officers ran into the building shooting.

"Kirsty, I want you to go back on the wall while I go get out son." Horatio said, standing up, taking his glasses off.

"I … Be careful H."

He gave her a reassuring smile and walked up the path into the school, with gun in hand.

She kept her eyes on the entrance of the school.

A few minutes later and tens of small children walked briskly out of the doors, parents rushing to see their children. Kirsty joined them, running towards the children, frantically looking for her little boy when she saw Horatio stood at the entrance. She couldn't see Jack anywhere – he wasn't in Horatio's arms, fearing the worst she collapsed. Horatio went to her, not being able to find his son and bring him out to Kirsty was the worst feeling in the world. Together they knelt against each other until, beyond all the cries of the children and happy sounds of parents they could hear what they thought was Jack.

"Mummy!" The voice shouted. "Mummy! Daddy!"

Horatio stood up. Being as tall as he was he turned around – looking everywhere to see where the voice was coming from. Then, he spotted Jack. He was coming out of the school door with two other children. Not one scratch on any of them. Kirsty ran towards Jack and picked him up – fussing over him and making sure that there was nothing wrong with him.

"Hey baby. You all right?" The small boy just nodded. "You sure you're ok?"

"Yep!" He looked up Horatio. "Daddy! Guess what!"

"What's that son?"

"I saved my friends. We heard noises and got scared. I told them to hide." He smiled, proud of himself. "I said you was gonna get the bad men."

"You did good son." Horatio stroked his sons hair and put his glasses on.

"They weren't in there, were they?" Kirsty paused, looking down at her son. "So, you're leaving?"

"No daddy! Don't leave." Jack pleaded to Horatio.

"I've got to catch the bad men. I'll come and see you tonight." Horatio looked at Kirsty for permission.

"Promise?" Jack asked.

"Jack. Don't make your dad promi-"

"I promise son."

Jack ran off to see and talk to his friends. Horatio stood side-on to Kirsty, his glasses off and his hands by his side. This was his defensive posture and knew that he was going to engage in some sort of an argument.

"You can't keep making promises H. He's getting older now and I can't just tell him lies anymore."

"Kirsty... I'm going to keep that promise." He put his glasses back on. "I'll see you tonight."

"I hope so." She murmured.


	6. Kirsty

Later that day Kirsty was at her house keeping a close eye on Jack. It was mid-afternoon and Jack was in the living room, he had fallen asleep watching one of the kids TV channels. She didn't know what to do, whether to talk to him about what happened earlier – would he actually understand?

She had been jumpy all day – scared at the smallest of noises. She was in the kitchen making Jack something to eat, not being able to see him, when she heard the front door slam.

"Jack!" She called, he didn't answer.

So she looked on the sofa, expecting to see him asleep but he wasn't there. "Jack!" Still no reply, so Kirsty walked towards the front door. Outside she could see nothing out of the ordinary. "Jack, Are you up there?" She called to the top of the stairs. Still no answer.

She was getting scared now. He's done this before, she remembers, he used to hide in the house for what seemed to be forever. Taking no chances, she opened the front door, only to be greeted by Horatio and Jack, about to walk through the front door.

"Jack. What have I told you about using the outside doors?" She snapped.

"Sorry mummy. But I saw daddy."

"But nothing – "

"Jack, go play in your room while I talk to your mum for me?"

Jack just nodded; looking not very pleased he wriggled out of his father's arms and ran up the stairs into his room. He does that when he gets upset or when his mum tells him off. Kirsty walked back into the kitchen, as Horatio closed the door behind him.

"Are you all right Kirst?"

"You haven't been this early in years H." She stated, changing the subject. "Why the change?"

"I nearly saw my family fall apart today..." He said moving closer to her. "I don't want that to happen. My family is now my priority."

"He's being scared to go out of the house. He hasn't eaten all day, all he's wanted is you to protect him from the 'bad men'." Kirsty told Horatio. She wrapped her arms around his torso, she felt safe in his arms.

"Mummy. Daddy." Jack exclaimed as he tried his hardest to hug both his parents. "Is daddy sleeping?"

"I don't think so pal." He replies, picking his son up. "But I'll phone you tonight before you go to bed."

"Please daddy. I'm scared."

"If you want to stay you can, We'll arrange sleeping later." Kirsty interrupts.

"Yay. Daddy, please." He begs Horatio.

"Ok son." Horatio kissed his sons head, looking at Kirsty – he said 'thank-you' just with his eyes.

"Work now?" He asked his father.

"No son. It's late now. I think you should go to bed, you've had a hard day."

"But it's –"

"But nothing Jack. Listen to your father." Kirsty snapped.

"C'mon son." He said walking towards the stairs. He turns around to see Kirsty leaning against the kitchen unit with her head in her hands.

"Is mommy ok?" Jack queried.

"Yeah. She's just a bit scared. But its ok. You just go to sleep ok pal?"

"Yep." And with that, Horatio placed his son in bed, tucking him in and kissing his forehead.

He made his way down the curving staircase to see Kirsty sat on the sofa crying. Horatio hated to see her cry.

"Kirsty." He whispered as he sat down next to her. "It's okay. He's safe."

"I know." She calmed her self down. "It's just every little thing makes me scared that I'm going to loose him. No matter how small the noise – I get scared H."

" You know that while I'm here, you or Jack have nothing to worry about." She smiled at him and laid her head on his chest. He held her close, holding her in his arms – safely.

"I know H, thanks." She replied. "I love you."

Horatio looked down in her grey-blue eyes and moved a strand of dark hair out of her eyes and kissed her. "I never stopped Kirsty." He whispered. "I never stopped." She rested her head on his shoulder and they fell asleep in each others arms.

The next morning Horatio awoke to find himself listening to music coming from the kitchen where he could see Kirsty and Jack dancing and singing along to the music coming from the CD player. He got up and walked towards the doorway, watching them just laughing and being happy together.

He watched, smiling and laughing at them when his phone started ringing. Kirsty could hear the phone over the music and walked into the living room where she saw him on the phone.

When he hung up he turned around to face Kirsty. "I need to go." He saw Jack coming into the room. "See you later son."

"Daddy coming home tonight?" Jack asked.

"Dad's working today babe." Kirsty said as she knelt down beside Jack.

"I'll be home tonight." Jack nodded as Kirsty stood up and kissed Horatio before he left.

Not long after Horatio left, Kirsty's house phone started ringing. Her caller ID informed her it was Mark; her supervisor.

"Hello?"

"Kirsty? It's Mark, we've got yet another woman found bound and tortured to death in a hotel room and a poem with a note underneath signed 'All For You'." The line went slient. "C'Mon Kirsty, I know it's your day off but you're the best I've got."

"Flattery doesn't get you everywhere y'know." She smiled.

"I'll see you in a few minutes then."

"I need to take Jack –"

"That's fine. See you soon."

_Things are kept hidden deep in my mind_

_It's all about you; you're one of a kind_

_In there it's a secret, locked away_

_No one can enter night or day_

_All For You, Carpe Diem_

_His next victim was, in no doubt, going to be another professional woman who he was yet to choose. These victims were in a long line of women whom he thought didn't deserve what they had; success. Women weren't meant to be higher up in the social ladder than the males, were they? No. Not according to this_ one. These women had set him back. He wasn't good enough for them. They'll pay.

He wonders how many more there are. Helpless women. Women who should have seen it coming. Who should have been smarter?

The police would never know who he was. What great lengths he would go to.

He bound their hands together, tortured them and then killed them.

The first victim was Claire, a twenty-seven year old successful newspaper editor. A young woman who was cleverer than most yet she fell ill to his charms.

The second victim was Elena, a thirty-five year old accountant with a local firm. She was a family orientated woman with a husband and two children. She too should have seen it coming.


End file.
